Header joint



Oct. 25, 1932. R. M. HARRIS HEADER JOINT Filed May 7, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 'Reg1'naldM-Harn's- ATTORNEY R. M. HARRIS HEADER JOINT Oct. 25, 1932.

2 sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May '7. 1930 INVENTOR l Reg naldlVIfj-lrw BY ATTORNEY :Patented Oct. 25, L193,2

vUNITED srATEs www BEGLNALD n. HARRIS, or

rANwoon, NEW JnnsEmAssIeNoa ro THE sUrEnnEATE-n COMPANY, or NEW Yonx. N. Y. .A Y

HEADER JOINT" j VApplication med lay 7,

' 10 tion may be clearly, understood I will now describe in detail and in connection with the accompanying drawings several forms' of joint each of which embodies mymventlon. In the drawings Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation ofl a jointv in accordance with my invention between a tubular unit and a header, and in which theend of the unit is mounted directly in the header. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the parts 20 illustrated in Fig. 1 as they appear when the joint is about to be formed. u

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevatlon of the parts illustrated in Fig. 1 as they appear after the joint has been made and broken.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation through a joint in accordance with lmy invention in which the tubular unit is supported on the header indirectly, the parts being illustrated in the position occupied when the joint is under'pressure.`

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the tubular unit and header shown in Fig. 4 with means for breaking the'joint. 35 Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation 011 an en- Y larged scale of a joint of the type shown in Fig. 4, but in which a gasket is interposed between the header and the member supporting the end of the unit.

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of a gasket of the type shown in Fig. 6.

The joints-disclosed herein are illustrated as designed especially for connecting tubular units to headers, but it will be understood that my invention is not limited to such use. The forms of header joints now in most common use are the rolledjoint, and the ball and socket joint in which a ball on the end of the tubular unit is forced against a socket in the header. The rolled joint is diicult to re- 11530. serial No. 450,572. A

move in case of a leak and also it necessitates 'hand holes in the header inthe wall opposite the joint for the tubular units in order that the ends of the tubes may be rolled' into pla-ce. Such hand holes require means for closing lt-hem which are themselves subject to leakage, and the rolled joints are diiiicult-to replace. The ball and socket joint needs to be made with great carewhen used forA high fluid pressures because the pressure tends to force the unit away from the seat s o that, un-

vvless the parts fit perfectly, leaks develop when the pressure is rst turned on which cut the seats of the joints. The joints within the present invention are so formed and the' parts so arranged that, although the tube end may be moved axially to break the. joint when desired, anyV movement of the tube or expansion thereof due to internal fluid pressure -tends to tightenl the joint so as to prevent leakage.

In the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a header wall 10 is shown having an A inner face 12 subject to fluid pressure, and an outer face 14 exposed to atmosphere. Wall 10 has a series of apertures therein one of which is illustrated at 16 and each of which contains the end of. a tubular unit such as 18. The aperture 16 is shown as Haring in wardly soA that its diameter on the surface 14 is less than that at the surface 12. The inner end 20 of tube'18, however, flares inwardly so that its diameter at the point normally adjacent to the surface 14 has a. less diameter than the inner'end of the tube, the slope of the surface of the aperture being complemental to that of the surfaceof the tube opposite it. However, in order that the end of the tube may be inserted into the aper-V ture 16, its inner end 20 has a diameter slightly less than that of the diameter of the aperture 16 at the outer surface of the wall 10.V

AThe end 20 may, therefore, be inserted through the aperture-16 and into-the interior of the header into the position shown in Fig.

2 so that a cylindrical portion 22 of the tube 18 which has a less diameter than the end 20 lies within the aperturev 16. When the parts are in this position there is suliient space between j the wall 10 and the outer surface of the portion22 to permit insertion into the aperture 16 of a sleeve gasket 24 which has been placed around the tube 18 before the end 20 is upset to increase its diameter. In order to make the joint, it is then necessary to draw the gasket and the parts are so proportionedand arranged that such movement of the tube expands gasket 24 between thewall of a rture 16 and the flared surface of the en of tube 18 so as to wedge the parts together and make a fluid tight joint. For moving the tube 18 axially as just described to expand the gasket 24, I prefer to employ bolts 28, 28 which rest on one end against the which are threaded into a yo e 30, so that when bolts 28, 28 are turned in a given direction, yoke 30 is moved axially of tube 18 and moves the tube with it by contact between the yoke and the annular projection 32 on the outer surface of tube 18. The outer diameter of projection 32 is preferably the same as that of the cylindrical portion 22 so that a cylindrical sleeve gasket 24 may be sisped over it when it is desired to use the g et in making a joint. In this way, a given tube 18 may have several gaskets 24 placed thereon before the end 20 is upset, Vthereby permitting the breaking and making` of the joint between a 'ven tube and header a number of times beore reforging the tube end.

When it is desired to break a joint formed as above described, the yoke 30 is moved from a position shown in Fig. 1 and inverted so as to contact with the other side of the projection 32. The bolts 28 are` at the same time removed from the yoke 30 and the plates 26 removed from the surface of the header 14 so as to expose threaded recesses 34, 34 in the header in alinement with the bolt openings in the yoke 30. run into the sockets 34 and through the bolt holes in yoke 30, and nuts 38 threaded onto the bolts 36 to force the yoke against the enlargement 32 in the direction to move the end 20 inwardly and break the joint as indicated in Fig. 3. Y

The joint illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive is so arranged that the end of the tube 18 does not contact with the header wall 10 throughout the entire thickness of such wall, the -wall and the end of the tube both being cut away at points to rovide annular grooves 40 and 42 separated) by relatively narrow lands or bearing areas 44 and 46 on the plates 26 and Threaded bolts such as 26 are then -header seat and tube respectively. I do not limit mylself, however, to grooving out the seat of t e joint or the bearing surface of the tube as either one or both may be continuous throughout. It will be understood also that the lands or areas '44 yand 46 are parts of complementall When it is drawn from the aperture. To facilitate re moval of the gasket 24, I prefer to make it longer in its axial dimension than the thickness of the wall 10 so that, when the joint is made it will project somewhat on the outside of the wall 10, as ap ars clearly in Fig. 1. In order to permit t e asket 24 to project outside the wall 10, the pil beted as indicated at 48, 48 to receive the edge of the gasket and at the same time hold it against axial movement while the gasket is bein expanded b the movement of the end 20 o the tube 18 uring the formation of the 'oint.

J Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, I have therein illustrated a second form of joint within my invention. In the arrangement of Fi 4 the wall 10 has an aperture 16 therein, t e wall of which flares outwardly and is threaded as indicated at 50. The diameter of aperture 16 is large eno h so that an inwardly ta.- pered threaded co ar 52 may be employed in the aperture 16 and the tube 18 mounted onthe collar 52. The 'oint between the inner end 20 of tube 18 an the collar 52 is of the same general type as the joint described in connection with Fig. 1 in that the tube end 20 flaresv inwardly and the surface of the collar 52 surrounding the end 20 tapers outates 26 may be rab- 'l lOf wardly at an inclination complemental to that of the outer surface of the end 20 so that end 20' and collar 52 are brought together to form a iluid tight joint therebetween b drawing the tube 18 forcibl outward wi respect to the wall 10 and co ar 52. It will be understood that, iii making the joint illustrated in Fig. 4 the collar 52 is first' laced around the end of tube 18 and the en 20 is then u set, for ed or machined so as to fit the inner ace of e collar 52. The collar may then be screwed into apertures such as 16 and the tube drawn forcibly against the collar to make a tight joint. For forcing tube 18 against the collar an arran ment similar to that in Fig.- 1 may be used aving a yoke 30 bearing a inst an enlargement 32 and bolts 28 thread'l In Fig. 4, however, bolts 28 thrust against .plates 53, 53 which bridge openings between ears 54, 54 projecting laterally from the outer end of collar 52.

I t will be seen that a given tubular element 18' can be readily inserted into an opening 1n the header 10 and removed therefrom as deed into the yoke for moving it.

aired. Furthermore, the joint between the collar and the end of the tube is tightened by ressure in the head 10 which necessarlly tends to force the tube 18 out of the header and to ex and the tube. There is, of course, a, possibi ity of leakage along the threaded surface at which collar 52 is in contact with wall 10. However, the tapered threaded joint as illustrated in Fig. 4 is wellknown to give little r no trouble from leakage even against hi h fluid pressures on account of the strong We ging action between the surfaces of such joints. If desired, the collar 52 may be provided with a lip extending outwardly over the end of the threaded surface 50 at the i outer surface of wall 10 and lip 55 may be 'either welded to the wall orvhave a gasket .between it and the wall to further insure against leakage. Of course, when tube 18 is to be removed from aperture 16, it is necessar to rst break the joint betweenv end 20 an collar 52 before the collar can be unscrewed from wall 10. For breaking the joint the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 5 may be employed. As shown, the yoke 30 is placed on the outside ofthe projection 32 and bolts 36 having T-heads 56 are arranged with their heads 56 in engagement with the undersides of outstanding ears 54 mentioned Y above as projecting laterally from the upper end of the collar 52, the bolts extending upwardly between the ears and through the apertures in the yoke 30T so that nuts 38 o n the bolts may draw the bolts and tube 18 inwardly to break the joint between it and the collar 52.

The arrangement illustrated in Fig. 6'is similar to that of Figs. 4 land 5 but differs therefrom in that the collar 52 and the cooperating surface of the wall l0 are not formed with ordinary screw threads as in Fig. 4 but with large threads 60, 60 and 62, 62

. respectively, each having somewhat rounded formed gasket 64 may be threaded into the aperture 16 or onto the collar 52 and the tips, and the diameter of the tapered face of the collar 52 is enough smaller than the diameter of the aperture 16 so that a precollar thereupon threaded into the aperture. It will be seen that the tapered annular gasket 64 is spun on both its outer and inner surfaces so that it lits both the threads 60 and threads 62. Gasket 64 is illustrated in detail in F ig. 7 and has a frusto-conical shape corrugated externally and internally by helical corrugations having rounded bottoms.

It will be seen that the joints in accordance with the present invention permit the insertion and removal of tubular units from headers without the need of hand holes or open-v ings in the header wall other than those required for the tubes themselves while providing an arrangement whereby the axial movement and/or the expansion of the tubes under high, pressure tightens the joint against leakage.

It will be understood also that the arrangei ments of Figs. 4 and 6 in which threaded collars are placed around the iared ends of the tube elements may have gaskets between the duced crushable lands disclosed in my apigs. 1 to 3 may be lication for header joints executed of even ate herewith may be employed in the joints of the types illustrated in Figs. 4 and 6 whenever it is thought desirable to do so, but I do not limit myself, insofar-as the inventions of Figs. 4 and 6 are concerned, to the use of gaskets or to the use of land or other bearing surfaces of relatively small areas.

I claim:

1. The combination of a header having an aperture therein, a tube extending into said aperture and having its inner end of larger diameter than the portion normally adjacent the surface'of the header, means formin a Huid tight joint between said tube and header which is so arranged that iiuid ressure within the header tends totighten t e joint, and means whereby said tube may be removed from said header in the direction parallel tothe position of the tubewhen in use.

2. The combination of a header having an y vheader which is tightened by expansion of the tube by internal ressure, and means whereby said tube may be removed from said header in the direction parallel to the' position of the tube when in use.

3. The combination of a header having an aperture therein, a tube extending into said aperture and having its inner end of larger diameter than the portion normally adjacent the surface of the header, means for forming a fluid tight joint between said tube and said header as the inner end of the tube is moved outwardly toward the surface of the header, and means whereby said tube may b e removed from said header in the direction parallel to the position of the tube when in use.

4. The combination of a header having an inwardly flaring aperture and a tube having its end in said aperture and ared complementally to said aperture but of a size to pass vthrough the small end of the aperture, a

l together with means for forcing the tube l axlall to break the joint.

6. e combination with a header having an inwardl tapered threaded aperture, a threaded colar adapted to screw into said aperture, said collar havin an inwardl flaring aserture therein, a tu collar an having its end ared com lementally to the aperture in the collar, an means for moving said tube axially to wedge its end against the collar toaform a fluid tight 'oint. J 7. The combination as set forth in claim 6 and in which a preformed metal gasket separates the header from the collar.

REGINALD M. HARRIS.

within 

